2 Toronto school boards open new virtual offices to help parents navigate concerns
CBC
Parents who have concerns not resolved by teachers or principals at their local schools can now contact virtual offices opened Monday by two Toronto school boards.
The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) and Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB), which are under provincial supervision, were required by the Ontario government to open "student and family support offices" in January.
School board trustees say the offices will not be able to replace services available before provincial supervision, but parents say they are cautiously optimistic about the new system. Five Ontario boards are expected to open the offices this month.
The offices "will ensure parents have a direct way to raise concerns, get help, and find solutions faster," Education Minister Paul Calandra said in a message to TDSB families last November.
Calandra said the offices will help parents get "answers on broader community concerns, contentious or complex issues, or matters that need to be escalated after speaking with the school."
The offices are expected to acknowledge emails within 48 hours and address requests within five business days.
In June, the province took over the two Toronto boards, as well as Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board, Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and Thames Valley District School Board. In December, it took charge of the Near North District School Board.
According to the TDSB, the offices are accessible through email and phone. According to the TCDSB, parents are required to fill out an online form, but they can also call or email the office for help.
The TDSB used existing resources to set up the office, which is staffed by two people, said spokesperson Ryan Bird on Monday.
"We do respond to families and students already," Bird said. "However, by launching this new student and family support office, we're able to essentially have that one window to better track and better respond to these family concerns moving forward."
Similarly, the Catholic board wants to help families "navigate next steps by providing a clear path when matters are more complex and require additional support beyond the school," said its education director, Brendan Browne.
Some trustees, however, said the offices will actually reduce student and family support.
The TDSB was responding to parents' concerns already through an office called trustee liaison services, staffed by five people, said Michelle Aarts, school board trustee for Beaches-East York.
She said the TDSB also had community advisory committees that enabled parents to connect to the board, but the ministry has paused 10 of those committees.
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